mbulelo smpofu
Brandon Moyo, Brandonmalvin9@gmail.com
CHRISTMAS time is upon us, the year 2024 is coming to an end, and for many, if not all, this is the time to wind down and reflect on the year that was. As the world prepares for Christmas, sports personalities and administrators in Zimbabwe, like everybody else, are looking forward to the festive season as they take time off from their different fields. It is the period where most of them are looking to spend some quality time with friends and families.
Today, Saturday Chronicle will take a look at how some Zimbabwean sports personalities and administrators will spend the festive season.
With Queens Sports Club preparing to host a historic Test series between Zimbabwe and Afghanistan starting on Boxing Day, Bulawayo Metropolitan Cricket Association (BMCA) chairperson Godwin Dube will be multi-tasking on Christmas. Dube said it is time to make merry with family and friends while keeping a close eye on the Test which gets underway the following day.
“Christmas is a special moment. With that, I will be spending the day with family and friends. We will have a braai while I’ll also be keeping an eye on the historic Boxing Day Test match,” said Dube.
Zimbabwe senior women’s national team cricket captain, Mary-Anne Musonda, just like everybody else, will be spending quality time with her family.
“Well, Christmas is family time and I am spending this festive season with my family at home,” she said.
Despite the local rugby season having ended a couple of months ago, Matabeleland Warriors rugby ace, Tawanda “Taks” Takawira said, with friends, they will bid the season off with some light touch rugby while, as per tradition, enjoying the day with family.
“So for Christmas, I will be spending some quality time with my family. Obviously, we will have some light touch rugby with the lads as a send-off to the good year we had,” said Takawira.
For many, the festive season is a time to practice traditional family customs. Many families have things that they always do during this time of the year and Thandolwenkosi Mlilo — one of the pioneers of women’s cricket in Zimbabwe, presently an international scorer and Lady Chevrons’ selector — will stick to the traditional family practices.
“We have a family culture that we practice all the time. It’s quite simple, we spend Christmas at home. At home, we love our meat so we will have a braai after having a prayer,” she said.
Zimbabwe women’s Under-21 hockey national team head coach Brad Heuer will be with his family before he travels to South Africa.
“I won’t be doing much to be honest, I will be with my family in Marondera. And then on Boxing Day, I will be travelling to Cape Town,” said Heuer.
Tuskers batter — who has also represented Zimbabwe across all formats — Brian Chari also underscored the importance of quality family time. Chari will take his family out for a vacation.
“Well, I will be going to Matopos with the family to spend some time there,” said Chari. – @brandon_malvin
